the environment-6form

The Environment Mrs Lutchman

Definition 

The environment is defined as everything around us.

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It is the physical and biological habitat that surrounds us

Classifications of Environment (A) Physical Environment: External physical factors like Air, Water, and Land etc. This is also called the Abiotic Environment. 

(B) Living Environment: All living organisms around us viz. plants, animals, and microorganisms. This is also called the Biotic Environment. 

Classifications of Environment 

In the following diagram identify the abiotic and biotic features in the environment:

Classifications of Environment Table showing Abiotic and Biotic components in the environment Abiotic

Biotic

Air

Plant

Soil/ Land

Rabbit

Water

Dog Fish

Interaction between the Abiotic and Biotic Environment 

These two environments work together closely as the physical environment (abiotic) land, air and water helps the plants of the living environment (biotic) to grow.

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Plants from the biotic environment is what helps animals survive

Interaction between the Abiotic and Biotic Environment 

The Biotic Environment has producers, consumers and decomposers

The environment interacts with each other in many ways one of which includes how energy is transferred through feeding in the environment.  To understand this system fully one must note that the ecosystem have producers, consumers and decomposers within it. 

Producer 

This is an organism that makes it own food.

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It includes green plants.

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These plants takes inorganic substances such as sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into food.

Consumer 

These are organisms that eat other organisms to survive.

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They can be: ◦ Herbivores eats plants only ◦ Carnivores eats animals only ◦ Omnivores eats both plants & meat

What is wrong with this Picture?

Decomposer 

These organisms feed only on dead organisms.

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They also break down the waste (poop) of other organisms.

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They include fungus and bacteria

Feeding in the environment The use of food chains and food webs are usually used to show the energy flow in the ecosystem.  One should note the direction in which the arrow is placed shows the flow of energy from organism to organism. 

Food Chain 

A food chain is a simple linear relationship that shows the flow of energy in a system.

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E.g. Plant

Rabbit

Dog

Note: A producer is always first in a food chain and is followed by a herbivore and then a omnivore/carnivore.

FoodChain 

This diagram shows a simple food chain... Note the direction of arrows showing energy flow.

Food Web 

A food web is two or more food chains together.. ◦ E.g. ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Grass Grass Grass Grass

grasshopper snake kookaburra mouse kookaburra eagle mouse snake eagle Rabbit

◦ NOTE: The above chains results in the following food web....

eagle

Trophic Levels 

This feeding level in which an organism occurs is called a TROPHIC LEVEL is always written in roman numerals. These levels is represented as seen below:

TROPHIC LEVEL I II III IV

ORGANISM TYPE Producer Herbivore Omnivore/ Carnivore Top Carnivore

Information that can be derived from a Food Web... 

A food web can show feeding levels( Trophic levels) and indicate the type of organism at each level.

TROPHIC LEVEL V IV

ORGANISM Top carnivore

Carnivore

III

Omnivore / Carnivore

II

Herbivore

I

Producers / plant

Summary 

The environment is everything around us

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It is made up abiotic and biotic components that interacts with each other

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These interactions can be seen together in a food chains.

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Two or more food chains join together = a food web

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Trophic Levels or feeding levels are easily observed from food webs

Activity 

Using the information you gained in this lecture to design your own environment.

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Label its important components eg producer, consumer etc.